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Life can be difficult for trans men. It can be even harder if you don't "pass". The main goal of "passing" is for you to be read as male by the world and make your life easier.

Steps

1

Buy clothes from the men's section. Ladies' pants are designed to accent curves (hips, butt, and thighs) which can easily give you away. Men's pants are cut straight, and they can hide some curves, including giving you a flatter butt.

If you're quite petite, you may want to buy from the boy's section occasionally.

Trying brands specifically for trans people, like Point 5cc, is also a valid option.

In the case of trousers/jeans not all models work well for hiding your hips - some may accentuate them. Unfortunately the only way to find this out is to try on various models in the store and find out what works for you. If you feel self-conscious, it helps to bring a friend (whether a cis guy/someone who passes or someone who doesn't but is more confident shopping in the men's section) Generally straight jeans are a no-go as well as skinny jeans (unless you get them a waist size up) Slim and tapered cuts tend to work well.

2

Wear clothes that fit, particularly if you are a larger person. Don't wear oversized or baggy clothes. This will hide all the things you do not want to show and will enhance the appearance of your size.

Use a stretchy sports shirt that is snug but not tight. Remember, you are transitioning your body. Not the image of man other people portray. Bigger men have larger chests (moobs). Try to come to terms with the fact that you do not look like the Hulk. Yet.

Your jacket armpits should come up no more than an inch away from your actual armpits.

Pants should be easy to move in, but somewhat form fitting (not tight). Hold them up with a belt or suspenders so that harnesses and other things don't fall out the back during plumber poses. Never good.

Shirts should be made of thin material that fits. If you're on the larger side in particular, layers are your friend. Anything with a zipper or large v-neck is going to not only flatten the appearance of the chest, but thin your appearance as well. The "v" should come down anywhere from three inches above your bellybutton, to at your bellybutton, depending on your height. A shorter man will want a longer "v" shaped over shirt, sweater, vest jacket, button up, or hoodie.

Wear larger sized watches and other accessories.

There are great vloggers for cis-men on YouTube, who will address how large men should dress to dress well. These will apply to you so seek them out.

3

Flatten your chest. Those with small chests might be able to get away with only a looser shirt and sports bra. Those with larger chests will need to do more, such as investing a good binder.

There are multiple ways to bind. You can:

Use a binder. Binders typically come in tank top length and half-length, and are made out of special material that presses the breast tissue down without becoming too dangerous for you. Good brands include Underworks and GC2B.

Use a double sports bra method.

Never use tape or elastic (e.g. ACE) bandages to bind your chest down. Elastic bandages are often used (especially on TV) but these bandages were designed to compress tighter when stretched, i.e. they constrict every time you take a breath. This almost always leads to breathing problems, suffocation, broken or bruised ribs, and/or deformation of the rib cage.

Underworks recommends stepping into some of the longer binders that it sells. While this is the easiest way of putting them on, by forcing the binder up over your butt and hips, it stretches out the top—which is rather counterproductive! It's better to learn how to put it on like a normal shirt.

The point of binding isn't to make your chest completely flat, but rather to imitate pectorals ("pecs"). This means that, when you put your binder on, you don't want to just push the breast tissue down to make it lie flat against your rib cage. The bottom half of your breasts is about where the curve of your pectoral muscles are and is as low as male chests should bulge. If you let your breasts fall much below that point, your chest will look a bit odd.

The most important part of binding is to listen to your body. Some soreness or slight pain in the breast itself is normal, but if you have rib cage pain, trouble breathing, or any type of cold or respiratory illness (even ones unrelated to binding), remove the binder and don't bind until you feel 100% again.

4

Consider getting a short haircut. While some guys can sport super long hair, it's unlikely to be a good style for you, since you want to look less feminine. However, if you love having long hair, you might be able to find a long hairstyle that works for you.

Some say barbers do a much better job of cutting hair short (and trimming short hair) than hairdressers, but others say that hairdressers are better stylists for trans men. Try different people until you're happy.

Though it might be tempting to grab a pair of scissors and do it yourself, this is almost certainly not your best option. Even if you happen to be experienced in cutting hair, it is very difficult to cut and shape your own. Shaping your hair is hard and mistakes will be easy to spot. Get a professional to cut it, or at least an experienced friend, to ensure that you get the result you want.

While this change can go a long way for how you feel and helping you pass, it's also a dramatic, immediate change that your parents (if you still live with them) are sure to notice. Be careful if you aren't out and haven't discussed it with them yet. If you aren't out, you can remind them of the hundreds of ladies with short hair or pixie cuts.

You may also want to consider getting an STP or an STP packer. STP (stand to pee) devices are devices that help you pee while standing up. You can also find STP packers, which act as soft packs as well as STPs, and thus are the best "fake penises" on the market.

Packers are not designed for sex and should not be used during sex, unless the STP/Packer you invest in is a 3-in-one and can be used for sex.

Soft packs usually come in a couple of sizes, 3.5" and 5.5" being the most common. The average size of a flaccid penis is somewhere between 3.5" and 4.5", and most people feel quite comfortable with the 3.5" model. It's completely up to you which you prefer. Just remember that they won't accept it back after you've opened it.

Low-rise styled briefs are really good for packing because they're tighter and have a "pouch" built in for your stuff. Sock or soft pack work best with this style of underwear.

If you are a larger trans man, use a larger packer. Going with a 5 or 6 inch packer, instead of a 3 or 4 inch. This can lead to better success with a more natural-looking bulge. Larger legs and bellies can hide a small packer and will hide a good amount of the larger ones. This causes us to feel effeminate, which is not good for dysphoria, so don't be afraid to go with the slightly larger size. Go with a larger, as well, STP for heightened chances of success. It is already hard to STP for beginners. Not being able to reach them or having trouble seeing what you are doing will only make matters much worse and if you have a two in one, going with the larger size will still look very natural on you, where on another trans guy it wouldn't.

6

Cultivate a deep voice. The only way to gain a naturally deep voice is to start on testosterone, but if you want to start sounding more masculine before then, you should try working on lowering your voice. Start off slowly, trying to lower you voice just a little bit every week or so.

Sing along with the radio by trying to sing male parts or a lower version of the female parts.

Practice daily for an hour or so. Remember, your vocal cords are muscles and need to be exercised and can get tired and strained.

Exercise: say "bing-bong king-kong ding-dong" in a low voice, stretching out the "ng." Repeat while making each word slightly lower than the last. Do this a few times.

After a week or two, once your vocal cords are stronger in the low range, tip your head back and do this exercise.

This is demonstrated on YouTube. The "boom your voice" video is very helpful.

Don't try to use this in public for a while. Your face will look strained before you get used to lowering your voice. You'll probably also sound like you have a cold for a while too because of the amount of concentration you're putting into your voice.

If you feel awkward talking to yourself, you could try recording books for Librivox, which is a site that helps turn public-domain books into audio books, so that anyone can access them for free.

7

Build muscle. Most cultures associate larger muscles with masculinity, which is why working out and lifting weights will do wonders to make you look more masculine.

It takes time to noticeably build muscles. Start a regular workout schedule, and don't worry when you don't see results right away.

Males tend to have larger shoulders and noticeably more muscular arms, so you want to focus there. Their torsos are usually straight, with narrower hips and a less-defined waist. Doing some intense ab work will help there. But also don't forget about your chest, back, and legs. You don't want to gain too much muscle unevenly.

Working out and eating well will improve your health and make you look more robust. You will almost certainly lose some fat, which will give you less curves.

You could work out like a professional athlete, but if your diet is poor, results will be subpar. Make sure to eat a healthy, balanced diet.

Aim to lose body fat, not weight. Young children tend to have rounder cheeks because their bodies store fat, which prepares them for growth. When males hit puberty, much of that fat leaves and the muscles become developed, giving them squarer faces, while females retain most of that fat after puberty. Losing body fat will also help make your face more angular.

8

Work on your mannerisms. Appearance isn't the only aspect of masculinity; attitude also matters.

Practice walking. Women tend to take up less space when they walk, with their feet close together as if walking on an invisible line, causing the hips to sway. Men tend to walk slightly on each side of that invisible line, giving them more of a straight, swaggering walk that accents their hips less and takes up more space. A lot of guys also keep their hands busy by holding something, or keeping their hands in their pockets.

If you're having a hard time figuring this out, follow someone and imitate their walk.

Work on sitting. Again, women try to take up less space, often crossing their legs, while men usually don't care how much space they take up. Leave your legs open and lean back more. If you do cross your legs, put your ankle on your knee, making a box shape.

Consider your stance. Men don't usually put their hands on their hips unless they're thinking. They also tend to cross their arms higher over their chests. Putting your hands in your pockets is always good. Some ladies stick their hip out and angle their foot, while masculine guys tend to stand straight and without their hips off to one side.

Hold conversations. Women tend to send more signals to show that they're listening: nodding, saying "Uh huh," or "Oh no," asking "And then what happened?" etc. Men do less of this, usually tilting their head or looking at the speaker to show they're paying attention. Their voices may also be more monotone, with less inflections.

Pay attention to your arms. Women tend to move their arms a lot more than men when walking, so try to keep your arms to your sides. Just avoid making your arms extremely stiff or you may look suspicious.

Try hanging out in a populated spot and watch guys of all ages and "types" and see how they interact. Get a feel for their mannerisms, and try to emulate them. You may find that you already do a lot of those things, but you probably still have a number of typically female characteristics you'll want to unlearn.

9

Consider shaving. Males will lose their peach fuzz during puberty, while females don't. Try shaving it off. It's best to do this after a shower when your skin is still warm. Lather up your jawline, starting about 2" below your jaw, and shave downwards. Stop shaving other places like your legs and armpits.

Your face may feel rubbery and strange at first. That's perfectly normal and will go away after a while.

Because the peach fuzz won't grow in that fast, it's best not to shave every day. Every few weeks so should be fine.

10

Instead of shaving, simulate facial hair. Find some mascara that is the same colour as your hair and apply it to the peach fuzz on your chin, upper lip, or jawline. You can simulate a beard, mustache, sideburns, or five o'clock shadow. Mascara makes the peach fuzz appear thicker and darker. After the mascara dries, it feels very close to real facial hair.

Watch out for clumps.

It may help to apply foundation first, and then use foundation to fix any mistakes you make with the mascara.

You can also practice using eye shadow and possibly eyeliner (for a more stubbly look) to mimic facial hair. This takes time to master, though, so practice at home first!

Get a second opinion before you go outside, to make sure that it looks good and doesn't appear fake.

Use eye make up remover to clean your face. You can also use the remover and a q-tip to fix any mistakes with more precision.

Sideburns can do a lot to make you look older and therefore more masculine

This method works better if you've already started HRT (testosterone) and have some facial hair developing.

11

Pay attention to your eyebrows. Women tend to have thinner eyebrows with more of a curve to them. Men's eyebrows tend to be bushier and more squared. Stop plucking your eyebrows and let the hair grow back in. If you need to, use a little eyeliner or eyebrow tint to make them appear more full.

12

Increase your height. The average American male is about 5'9" while the average American female is 5'4".

Develop better posture. A lot of height is lost from slouching. Practice better posture, do moderate back exercises to strengthen muscles, and stretch your back daily. All of these methods could give you up to 2" of height.

Some people claim that you can extend your spinal cord with an appropriate diet and certain stretches. This is untrue. You should not attempt to stretch your spinal cord or column for the purpose of increasing your height, trying to do so can be very dangerous and lead to permanent injury. Instead focus on stretching and strengthening the muscles in your back. This will allow you to stand straighter for longer and take advantage of every inch of height you have.

Shoe sole inserts can increase your height in public. There are inserts and shoes specifically designed for this purpose. An inexpensive alternative is packing paper into your shoes.

Don't fall for internet scams to increase your height. Those pills could have serious effects on your liver and don't work. If you're extremely unhappy with your height talk to your doctor, they may know of safe and effective alternatives.

Testosterone can't guarantee any growth. If you're still going through the early stages of puberty, your bones may not be completely capped off and testosterone could trigger another growth spurt. If you're an older teen or in your 20s, there is a possibility for some growth but it would be a small increase and is unlikely. If you're older than 25, it's extremely unlikely that testosterone will cause any height increase.

There is no conclusive evidence of testosterone increasing height for trans men. A lot of people don't notice height increases, and many associate any increased height with increased confidence (i.e. improved posture).

13

Do your research. Learn what trans people have to say, and what they recommend. Meet the online trans community, make new friends, and learn to accept your identity as a trans person. A support system and information will make transition much easier.

Find out as much as you can about your options before deciding what you want to do. There's no one-size-fits-all formula. You must use self reflection to decide how you identify and how you want to transition. Some people are content without surgery and hormones while others may only use hormone therapy or wish to pursue a full medical transition. Every trans person is different.

Talk to a therapist. They can help you sort out your feelings, give you a diagnosis, and start you on your way towards the next step. You'll need to speak with a psychologist before starting testosterone or getting surgery.

Look into your state's/country's laws about legally changing your name and/or sex on legal documents, if that is something you wish to pursue.

Community Q&A

I am 12. Most of my friends say I am too young and refuse to call me by the correct pronouns. What do I do?

wikiHow Contributor

Community Answer

Tell your current friends how you feel. Tell them that you feel very disrespected when they misgender you, and that if they continue to do so, you will be ending the friendship(s). Find new friends who accept you for who you are.

How do I tell my parents that I'm trans? When I was around 13 I tried to tell my mom, but she brushed it off as just a phase. Now I'm 17 and I still feel like this, what should I do?

Owl511

Community Answer

Try telling her again very simply and in slow language. Be casual enough so it's not tense, but not too casual so that she thinks you're joking. She'll more likely believe you if you are 17, because you are almost 18 and ready to make your own choices. For additional tips, check the wikiHow article on how to Come Out to Your Parents.

This depends on your comfort level. You could walk in and sit them down and say "Mom, Dad Im trans". Be sure to have an FTM guide with you for them to look up their questions (for example, ftmguide.org). Or, explain it in a note and hand it to them. You can either choose to stay in the room with them as they read it or run away to your room once you do that and wait.

It depends on your normal breast size. If you happen to be a little on the larger side for your age, this method works fairly well if paired with a loose fitting tee-shirt or sweatshirt––wear a tight fitting sports bra. However, don't wear it for more than 8 hours or else you can damage your rib cage.

Tips

Investigate more options if you are a larger trans man. These tips may only help minimally, so look for websites that can help you with your particular body type. There are a couple of YouTube vloggers who are addressing this challenge and there are available blogs dedicated to helping you like biggertz.com and more.

If you come out as trans and request that friends and family to start referring to you by a masculine name and pronouns, others will hear and be more likely to assume you're male.

Check yourself in the mirror before leaving the house. Make sure that your chest looks good and feels comfortable, and your packing is straight and looks natural.

If you're having a hard time getting a packer to look right, try going online and looking at pictures of guys. This will give you an idea of how big a natural bulge is, and how it should look.

Binders should always be washed in cold water and then hung dry, otherwise the stiff nature of the binder could be damaged.

Wash as often as needed. You can get away with wearing them 2-3 days in a row, assuming that it wasn't a hot day or you weren't exerting yourself. If you're already taking testosterone, you will start sweating more and need to wash your binder more often. You can also simply soak them in really cold water and then let them air dry.

If you decide to use the Men's room while in public, remember that guys tend to get in and get out quickly, with little conversation or preening.

It's best that you master using an STP first so you can confidently stand in a stall or at the urinal.

Be cautious when using STPs at the urinal, look for ones that have partitions between them. In most cases guys aren't going to look over at anyone else and it's very unlikely that anyone will notice.

Stay confident. Confidence will make you look more attractive, more masculine, and if you seem to believe in yourself, people will be more likely to believe in you.

If you have a female friend who is comfortable with it, put your arm around her. People tend to assume that a person with their arm around a female is a male.

If you have a pull on binder, don't try and put it on while your skin is wet (e.g. After taking a shower or getting out of a pool). Pull on binders get stuck on wet skin and you will have a very difficult and uncomfortable experience. Instead, wait until you dry off or consider getting a Velcro binder if this is a frequent occurrence.

NOTE: Although all of this information is towards those who would love to 'pass as male' in society, you DO NOT have to pass if you don't want to/aren't able to for whatever reason. Whether you follow each of these tips to "pass as male" or not, remember everyone's journey as a trans person, specifically trans male in this case, is different. Therefore, there isn't a RIGHT WAY to pass, and if you don't want to/aren't able to pass that doesn't make you any less valid as a trans man. You are valid no matter what!

When buying male jeans, it's usually harder to find ones that comfortably do up, since men have smaller hips. Use an elastic hair tie, pull it through the button slot, so the tie is half through. Wrap one end onto the button, and then wrap the other end onto the button. If done correctly it should be secure and hold all day, just remember to wear a shirt that's long enough cover it.

Warnings

Binding with tape or elastic (e.g. ACE) bandages is very dangerous. Elastic bandages are designed to constrict swelling tissue and are not flexible enough to allow good respiration. Using elastic bandages to bind can lead to breathing problems, cracked ribs, and sometimes severe injury.

Be cautious of bathrooms. As you transition, you may encounter prejudiced or even violent people. If possible bring a friend to the bathroom with you, people are less likely to attack a group.

Although there are laws in some states such as DC and in all of Canada, that protect Trans rights to use the washroom of the gender they identify as, this will not stop a possible attack. Be aware of your surroundings and have a plan to get out safely.

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 509,132 times.

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Co-authors: 40

Updated:

Views: 509,132

ZJ

Zane Jimenez

Nov 7

"A few years ago I started feeling more masculine, and eventually found it was because I'm trans. Recently I started working on mannerisms more, and this site has a lot of good info."..." more

TW

Tyler Wilkins

Mar 8, 2016

"Helpful because I'm only 13 and my gender identity has been bothering me since I was in 3rd grade. I just remember that I never felt right in my own body. I recently came to terms with being a trans man. I've been using the tips in this article. Lately, when I go out in public, strangers will say things like, "Good morning/afternoon, sir." I'm thankful that so far this article has helped me pass until I can get surgery."..." more

TW

Tyler Wilkins

Mar 22, 2016

"Helpful because I'm only 13 and my gender identity has been bothering me since I was in 3rd grade. I just remember that I never felt right in my own body. I recently came to terms with being a trans man. I've been using the tips in this article. Lately, when I go out in public, strangers will say things like, "Good morning/afternoon, sir." I'm thankful that so far this article has helped me pass until I can get surgery."..." more

B

Becca

Apr 18, 2016

"It was great. I'm thinking about going trans. I was going to use bandages to wrap up my chest when I wake up in the morning, but I guess I'll find one of my old sports bras and wear it backwards or something. I'm gonna dress like a boy in the morning and it's my first time going into public like that. I'm not sure if my school allows it, but F the system. I want to be a boy."..." more

AH

Andrew Hawke

Jun 21, 2017

"Really helpful if you're trying to gradually adapt your lifestyle to pass and be perceived as your true self by others. Some of these tips are a bit hard to follow, but it's a "no pain, no gain" situation, I guess."..." more

Rated this article:

K

Kaze

Aug 9, 2016

"This is the most helpful article! Of course I knew a lot of this, but I have learned more stuff, and I've been researching for over a month. The thing that helped me the most was "how to deepen your voice.""..." more

TR

Tabitha Roscoe

Nov 18, 2017

"I am a 13-year-old FTM, and I only have one other FTM friend and it's hard to ask him questions sometimes. This article has answered most of my questions that I have about passing."..." more

Rated this article:

PL

Pierce Lus

May 30, 2017

"This was very helpful in terms of passing overall. I'm glad this article recognizes the difference in mannerisms between different people. Thanks for this!!"..." more

Rated this article:

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Max Daniels

Aug 16, 2017

"It helps a lot. I didn't really know how to come out as a boy and pull it off, but after reading this i feel a lot more confident."..." more

Sergio Delarosa

Jul 2, 2017

"i thought there was only one way to be trans, but this article helped me to see I don't really need surgery to feel like a male!"..." more

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Frankie Segura

Jul 1, 2016

"Wow, this thing is gonna help me out so much, especially with the binder part. I had no idea what to do for that."

OJ

Oliver Jackson

Jul 5, 2017

"This helped a lot. I'm struggling a little, since I'm only a teenager. This article gave great tips."

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Daniel Sauriol

Jun 3, 2017

"I'm FtM and have struggles passing. This just gave me some tips I didn't know of before."

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Ann Todd

Mar 20, 2016

"All very helpful, especially since I am not able to figure out a lot of this on my own."

Gabrielle Brown

Apr 28, 2017

"This article was very helpful and offered a variety of different tips and options."

Rated this article:

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Polina Karamisheva

Jul 16, 2017

"I feel less scared and more confident about how I feel and what I should do."

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Robin Haw

May 18, 2016

"The mannerisms section was generally informative and helped a lot. Thanks!"

MR

Matteo Rosario

May 8

"It helped me get some more ideas on how to pass as male since I am trans."

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Parker Pautsch

Apr 10

"I love this article, it helps me and some of my FTM transgender friends."